Backpacking leads us to amazing places we otherwise wouldn't be able to experience, and sometimes these special locations allow for off-trail activities. Enhance your next backpacking trip by trekking to a mountain lake for a day of backcountry fishing or by climbing a technical roped route to bag your next peak. Learn essential multisport skills with fishing, rock climbing and water sport tips and how-tos from the editors at Backpacker Magazine.
You don’t need to travel far to try something new. Redline your state, see a celestial show, or get to know your local wildlife with these 8 ideas.
Can an expert hiker face her fears to reach new heights?
Can a group of novice packrafters make it out of Canyonlands in one piece?
Looking for the fastest route to deep backcountry? Lace up your sneakers, ditch the heavy pack, and run your favorite trails.
Going slow on the snow can help you relish the smallest details.
It’s just like backpacking, but with a paddleboard instead of boots. Right?
Grab a paddle to access quiet coves, mirror lakes, or exhilarating rapids. Best part: You can pack like you’re car camping when you trade boots for a boat.
The best backpacking game is the one you don't have to carry.
See more—and have more fun—this winter with these gear and technique trips.
Take it easy in these 15 accessible, mellow areas for some of the best backcountry skiing in the Lower 48.
Learn how to find a great backcountry skiing zone and create a custom map with this guide to CalTopo.
Snow opens up new options for hauling gear, but that doesn’t always mean you should use them.
Who needs an off-season? Take on the challenge with Colorado mountain guide Jason Antin's top tips for alpine travel in the fourth season.
Triple the mileage with next to nothing on your back? A longtime hiker tries two-wheel camping to figure out the catch.
Steep slopes and snow make for fun—but hazardous—terrain. Bring the right gear to get to the summit and back.
Whether you’re visiting a mountain town or moving in, it’s only natural to want the natives to accept you. But how far out of your comfort zone are you willing to go to get there?
Learn more about what goes on beneath the surface by casting a line.
Don’t let Mother Nature keep you inside. Take it from these pros who adventure rain or shine. With their tips, there’s no such thing as bad weather.
You don’t need a rope and harness to explore nature’s labyrinths. Fall is prime time in canyon country—take advantage of the dry weather and take your hiking to a new level.
Trading your boots for a boat? Heed these hints to makes sure you’re never up a creek without a paddle.
Savor the last warm days of the year by exploring these watery wilds by boat.
There’s no surer way to ensure a successful trip than hitting the mountains for charity.
Join the standup paddleboard craze and enjoy an above-water vantage for everything from rising trout to streamside wildlife.